


Tales of an Underwater Symphony

by J4chris



Category: Original Work
Genre: Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/F, Father-Daughter Relationship, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Music, Musical Instruments, Panic Attacks, sort of a fairy tale I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:08:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27965819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J4chris/pseuds/J4chris
Summary: As Amalia return home after a strong panic attack, the earth cave in just under her feet and she plummet down. What lurks in the dark tunnel she suddenly find herself into? And what is the origin of that strange sound she hears?
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. In which Amalia falls down a hole

Amalia yawned, waking up from her sleep. She rubbed her eyes, trying to remember what she was doing there. The sun was approaching the horizon, and yet Colmoura, the city below her, was still bustling with activity.  
‘Oh right’ she thought, fixing some stray locks of dark hair ‘It happened again’. She sighed: she was happy there, working at her father's shop.  
‘Then why? Why does it keep happening?’. Amalia tried to remember: she was at the Grand Market this time… 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

She was browsing the food stalls when the uneasiness started. There wasn't a reason, just an ominous feeling in the back of her throat. Slowly, her senses were overwhelmed: at first, it was like the sunlight was suddenly too bright for her, and the noises around her started getting louder and louder. Amalia tried to focus, pushing the feeling aside, but her own thoughts started slipping from her, too fast to stop.  
She had to go. Quickly.  
But she couldn't.  
Her body was moving on its own, repeating the movements she was used to, but slower. Or maybe the world was going faster? She didn't know, a bystander in her own body.  
She felt… distant. Around her, sounds were muffled, drowned by the cacophony of her thoughts.  
A merchant approached, saying something, but Amalia could barely hear her; she must have replied something, but she could swear that no words came out of her mouth: the merchant smiled, and started picking items from her stall.  
Her face was familiar, yet her name eluded her grasp, lost in the chaos in her head. Fortunately, she was quick, and Amalia could leave soon after.  
Somehow, she forced herself out of the market and looked for the way to the only place that could calm her down.  
She started walking faster and faster: following the main street, then a couple of turns. It was only after she was out of town, and out of breath, that she realized she had started running: she was on an abandoned road that went up on one of the hills outside the city. Nobody else around her. She felt better, but the uneasiness was still there. She kept going, until she reached a small clearing: there she had lain on the grass, closing her eyes, trying to collect herself. And at some point, she had drifted off… 

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Now it was getting dark. Amalia took a long look at the meadow: there was something… soothing, about this place.  
Maybe it was because of the memories that filled it: her father used to take her here when she was little, playing his harp or singing fairy tales while the evening sun shone over the city; here she learned to play her first notes, and kept on practicing; and when she felt overwhelmed by everything, she would come here, to let herself be cuddled by the breeze and the quiet.  
Amalia was reluctant to leave: ‘I have to’ she tried to convince herself ‘Dad will be mad if I'm late again’. So she got up, and started to slowly follow down the road, her gaze lingering on the city.  
The moon, showing half of her face, was already high in the skies as she made her way back, but, almost halfway down, something caught her attention.  
Something that was almost hidden by the bushes.  
Amalia drew closer: it was just a small hole. ‘I wonder if there is something down there…’ she crouched, trying to look down to see something: only pitch-black nothingness. She stood up to leave, but as soon as she took the first step the terrain caved in, and Amalia tumbled down into the darkness… 

‘At least nothing seems broken’ Amalia had slided down at least a half dozen meters of dirt before hitting solid rock.  
The Moon peered through the now far larger hole above, letting her silvery light illuminate her surroundings: she had fallen into what seemed like a natural cavern; the air was humid, and she heard drops of water falling down the rough walls; she could glimpse rock spikes in the darkness, and a tunnel on the right, but nothing to tell how large the cavern was, nor how deep it went.  
Amalia looked back: ‘Thank the Gods ’she thought, seeing that the slope was not too steep to climb back. She stood up: her body was aching, but she could tolerate the soreness  
She started climbing up when a strange and distorted sound behind froze her in place  
Something was there. In the dark. Fear gripped her throat: she was paralized, barely able to breath. All she could do was brace and wait for whatever thing was there to strike.  
But nothing came from the darkness, if not another sound, similar to the first, just a little higher, followed by another, this time a lot lower.  
‘Wait… those are notes!’  
Fear turned into astonishment.  
‘Someone is playing an instrument? Here? In this cavern?’  
An old and definitely out of tune instrument, judging by the sound of it. But why? Her first instinct was to follow the notes, but she managed to stop herself: ‘What am I doing?’ She couldn't even see and room she was in, how could she find her way in this place?.  
The sounds stopped.  
No: ‘I have to climb out of there and go home’.  
But before exiting, Amalia listened for just a moment more: nothing but the dripping water. ‘Was it even real?’ she asked herself: ‘Did I imagine it?’. She didn’t know the answer. ‘Maybe I hit my head a little too strongly’.  
She sighed, and climbed out, back to the moonlight road. 

Much to her relief, the way back didn't have any other surprises: she followed the road back to the city, and there she took the main street towards the Merchant District. She encountered only a few people on her way: it was so strange to see the previously bustling place now so calm. This wasn't the first time she saw it, of course, yet she could not get used to it.  
Her house, a modest two story building, was near one of Colmoura’s other markets. When Amalia arrived, she could see light coming out of the windows on the second floor. ‘I’m in trouble’ she sighed, hoping at least that the lecture she was about to receive would not be too long. She opened the door.  
The first floor was dedicated to their workshop; her father, Andres, was a very talented carpenter: he could craft almost anything with ease, but his passion were musical instruments, and the ones he made were real works of art; she was practically his apprentice, and while he said she had talent, she wasn't even near as good as him. Amalia gave a quick look before running up the stairs: judging by the mess, he was working on a new project.  
The upper floor was as just modest as the rest, with only the essential furniture, yet it felt cozy, and warm. Her father was sitting on a chair, looking towards her.  
"Sorry Dad, I know I-" Amalia didn't even finish her sentence: her father came close and hugged her, his strong, black arms pulling her in and holding her gently. After a few moments he released her, and softly stroked her cheek  
"Thank the Gods, I was so worried" his brown eyes showed relief "It happened again, didn't it? I wanted to come looking for you, but I know you need your space those times. Are you feeling well now?"  
"Yes, but don't worry" replied Amalia "I'm good now"  
"Come then, you must be hungry by now" he said, gesturing towards the table, but stopped when he saw the bruises on her arms "Wait, what happened to you? Did you fall?"  
"Oh I just tripped on a root while coming down the hill" Amalia said before thinking. ‘Why did I lie?’ It was not like she had something to hide from him, yet she could not stop herself.  
He did not seem to doubt her, and so they started eating dinner, their attention quickly shifting to their new ideas for the workshop. 

When finally Amalia went to bed, she was completely worn out: her legs ached, and her muscles were sore. Yet, somehow, sleep evaded her. She tried to convince herself she didn't care, and didn't want to know, pushing away those thoughts. But questions still lingered in her head, and curiosity was not so easy to chase away. What was that place? And who was playing music down there? So was there someone else who knew about it? Amalia was fidgeting in her bed, hoping exhaustion would take over.  
After a while, she gave up: she needed to go back there and find answers.’This is a stupid idea. A very, very stupid idea’. She had no clue what was down there, or how vast it was. Sure she could bring a couple of candles to have some light, but would it be enough? And what if the path was blocked? Or underwater? And how could she avoid losing her way in those tunnels? Amalia did not notice her eyes closing while dwelling on those questions, and so, finally, sleep overcame her.  
In the morning, she was, like any other day, working with her father in their workshop, but her mind was still set on finding a way to explore the dark tunnels: part of her still repeated that it was a stupid idea, but she felt she couldn't help it. She decided candles would be a good option for light, hoping the air would not be too humid, but there was still the problem of finding her way back, assuming she would find the source of that melody.  
"Mal, are you alright?" her father looked up from his work, while his hands went on mechanically.  
"Yes Dad, don't worry" Amalia replied, snapping out of her thoughts. Andres didn't look reassured.  
"You know that if something is troubling you, you can talk to me, don't you?"  
"Yes, I know, I'm just…" she bit her tongue "Tired: I didn't get much sleep last night". It wasn't a lie, just not the entire truth.  
"All right" said her father, after thinking for a moment "Then you should take some rest; I can take care of the work here for today"  
Amalia was tempted to take that offer, but she knew that meant that Andres would overwork himself. Again.  
"Thanks Dad, but I prefer to stay here: working always help me to clear my head"  
Her father smiled, even if a hint of worry still lingered in his brown eyes "That's my girl, but don't overdo it, understood? Now, help me varnish this wardrobe".  
So Amalia focused on her work, keeping her thoughts from going back to the tunnels, and to the mysteries that were hiding in their darkness.  
She went back to the Market in the afternoon. The day before she couldn't finish her errands, so she still had to buy something. Andres offered to go in her place, but she declined: her episodes rarely happened so close to one another, so she would be fine. And she was: Amalia quickly got the supplies they needed without any problems. On her way back, a child caught her attention: he was playing with a ball, using a strand tied to it to get it back after he hit it.  
‘Of course!’ she thought, as an idea formed into her mind. She turned back and ran once again towards the Market. She knew what to do.

Maybe she didn't know what to do so well, after all. She was so confident this was going to work: she waited until nightfall, then sneaked out. But now that she was there, right before the entrance, she wasn't so sure anymore. Fortunately, the sky was clear, and the Moon was shining high, so she could at least see what was before her. “Now it's not the time for second thoughts” Amalia tried to reassure herself with little success, and started to carefully climb down.  
Once in the cavern below, she used a flint to light one of her candles: the area she was in was smaller than she thought, and now she could see the tunnel on the far side, from where the sound seemed to come. Then Amalia took out the item she needed from the Market, thread, and fastened it tightly on one of the rocks.  
"Maybe I bought too much" she mumbled, looking at her bag, completely filled. But she didn't know how long these tunnels were, so it was better to come prepared. She took a last look at the Moon, trying to steel herself, and went into the tunnel.  
The rock was humid, but not too slippery. Even so, Amalia almost fell a couple of times, a feeling of uneasiness in her chest, as the thread unwinded with her every step.  
‘This isn't going to work’ she was just beginning to descent, and was already regretting not staying in her bed that night. She didn't proceed long before the tunnel opened on a ledge: below her, she could see another cavern, this time much bigger, and, at the end, she could see a faint light coming from an opening in the rocks. She was trying to get a better look at the cavern when she heard it: the same sounds echoed from below.  
“It must be somewhere down there” Amalia was thinking out loud “Maybe the same way the light comes'”  
She was excited: maybe she would find out after all, maybe this whole idea wasn't for nothing. She quickly got to the end of the ledge, and then in another tunnel. This one was smaller than the first, but she didn't care, she was going to find out soon what that sound was. So she went down, deep into the caverns.  
Until she realized she could not hear the sound anymore. ‘Have I taken a wrong turn? I could have sworn… no, this must be the right way’ but her hesitant steps betrayed her false confidence. Then the tunnel forked. Where to go now? What if she took the wrong way? And the thread snapped?  
‘This was a terrible idea’ fear was taking root, as it gripped her throat ‘'I'm going to get lost down here, and no one will find me’ she watched the faint light of the candle ‘and why, in the name of the Gods did I think bringing candles was a good plan? I should have brought a torch’.  
Amalia was freaking out: she could already feel that ominous feeling in her throat. She tried to compose herself: staying there was not going to make her situation any better. Hesitantly, she took the left path. But her uneasiness was back, and it was only growing as the tunnel shrinked around her, until she could barely pass through the walls. Her thoughts started to swirl in her head.  
'No. Not here. Not now' Amalia was about to panic, while almost crawling onward, trying desperately to get somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t there. Then, the tunnel suddenly opened into a cavern. The candle in her hand was not strong enough to illuminate her surroundings, but she could see, in the far side of the cavern, the same light she had seen from the ledge.  
She’d done it. She was there. Amalia fell to her knees: she wanted to laugh. And to cry. And to scream. The melody resumed, and now she was sure it came from there. She checked if the thread was still intact, and how much was left. After making sure of it, she walked towards the opening, and the light, snuffing out the candle near. So close. She almost couldn't believe it.  
When she saw what was on the other side, Amalia was breathless.


	2. In which Amalia scares a creature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Driven by her curiosity, Amalia has reached the source of that sound, down into the tunnels she stumbled upon. But what has taken her breath away? And what is that creature she saw there?

She was breathless.

'Am I dreaming?'

Right after exiting the crevice, the cavern widened, welcoming Amalia in: all around her, beautiful crystals sprouted from the rock, shining their light on the pristine water of the subterranean lake that was just below her.   
She heard the sound once more.  
Amalia looked down: 'Yes, this is definitely a dream'  
Someone was sitting on the rocky shore: hair of a red and blue hue, and a dress that matched perfectly, legs immersed in the water.   
'Wait…' she tried to take a better look 'That' s not a-’.  
She gasped. Realizing what she had done, her hand covered her treacherous mouth.   
Too late.   
A head darted upward, and a pair of eyes locked with hers: eyes that shone like molten gold. Amalia saw surprise in them, and that surprise quickly turned into fear. A moment later, it swiftly jumped into the lake, disappearing into the water.   
Amalia was still staring, mouth agape, stunned by that sight.  
"Wait!" it took her a few seconds to finally react "Come back!"  
She hurried down, almost recklessly, to the shore: she looked into the water, searching for a sign of that creature or something, but she found none.  
"Sorry if I startled you" she whispered "I just want to talk to you" but no reply came from the lake, only the brown eyes of her reflection staring back at her.  
She sighed, giving up, and looked around. Something was stuck between the rocks: a harp, small and very old; the wood that made the body was almost rotting and only a few strings remained. It looked like it would shatter with a single touch 'Is this… what made that sound?'. Her hand reached for it, and a single, distorted note echoed over the lake. She was almost surprised that even in those conditions it could still play.  
Amalia waited for a while, observing her surroundings, hoping that maybe the creature would come back. But nothing emerged from the waters, and eventually she gave up: 'I need to go back, I can't stay here all night'.   
So she climbed back to the fissure, and tied the other end of the thread to one of the nearby crystals. Then, she was once again into the dark tunnels. The way back was harder and longer than she thought, but eventually she arrived at her entrance.   
'The thread worked after all, I guess'  
Outside, the moon had shifted from her position, but everything was still dark and quiet.   
She was tired and her legs hurt. She sneaked back into the city, and arrived at her house. She went in, trying to be as silent as possible, and listened: nothing.  
'Thank the Gods': her father was asleep.   
Amalia quietly went to her room and threw herself on the bed. As she drifted off, two golden orbs dominated her thoughts… 

The following day she felt tired: the rest of the night had brought her little sleep.   
She could still see them, whenever she closed her eyes, as if they were right before her.   
"Those eyes…" she mumbled to herself.  
She had never seen eyes like those. Well, she had never seen anything that was even remotely close to that creature. She wondered if what she saw down there was even real.   
'Maybe I've just lost my mind, and that was all a dream'   
Amalia shook her head: she had looked into her bag when she woke up, and found one less candle and half the thread.  
Thoughts of gold, and red, and blue, were crowding her head.  
A loud bump almost made her jump in surprise, bringing her back to her senses: her father was still working on his new instrument. He didn't seem to have noticed her daydreaming, much to her relief. 'I need to focus' she had work to do, and she had no intention of letting Andres down.   
It was something simple: just the structure for an armchair, but she poured all her effort in it, keeping her mind clear of those thoughts. By noon she was almost finished: she took a break, and shared a quick meal with her father.   
"Mal" his tone was warm as always, but his eyes showed a glint of worry "are you sure nothing is bothering you?"  
"I… no. I mean, yes!" Amalia, caught off-guard, replied tentatively "Why do you ask?"   
"I saw you lost in your head this morning. If there's a problem I can help you with it, just tell me"   
"I'm ok Dad, I…" she thought for a moment what to say "... Just had a strange dream tonight, and I was thinking about it"  
If Andres found out about her nocturnal adventure, he would probably be furious. And not without reasons. 'It's better if he doesn't know about it… at least for now'   
"A dream?" he didn't sound convinced at all  
"Yes. I don't remember much of it, only…" she trailed off, as the image engraved in her mind returned "... Two golden eyes, shining in the dark" 'And beautiful like nothing I have ever seen' but she kept that part to herself.   
"But it's nothing serious, I swear, just a silly dream" she quickly added.   
Her father looked at her for a moment, then his expression softened, and smiled at her "All right, just don't lose your sleep over it".   
Amalia groaned. "Dad, come on!" yet she found herself smiling too.   
"I know, I know" he said, holding his hands in surrender, but still smiling.  
She felt better: he always knew how to lift her spirit.   
Just before finishing their meal, he hit his forehead: "I almost forgot: I have some work to do in the Upper District today. Mal, can you handle the workshop while I'm there?"   
"Yes Dad, don't worry" It wasn't the first time she had done it, though it usually was for less than an hour. But she was sure it was nothing she couldn't handle.

Amalia was thankful there weren't many clients that day: sure, she knew how to handle them, but she was always so nervous in those situations: her palms sweated, her legs trembled and she couldn't help but stutter. So, when the sun was setting and her father came back she, internally, screamed her relief.   
"Sorry Mal, it took me longer than expected. How did it go here?"   
"Nothing much" she replied "We had a couple of commissions, and a merchant form the Market, Meridia, asked if we could repair her stall tomorrow morning: apparently the guards broke it while chasing a thief"  
"Perfect" he said, looking proudly at her "Good job Mal, you're learning fast as always. Now that's enough work for today, can you help me close up?"   
That evening was… normal: after they closed the workshop, they had dinner and talked about the work that was due in the coming days.  
Only when Amalia was in her room, the thoughts started to come back, and with nothing to keep her mind busy, she had no way out.  
'I messed up. It was right there, and I scared it away. I wish I could see it aga-' her train of thoughts stopped: she could see it again, she just needed to go back there and descend to the lake. But not tonight. She was too tired, and needed to rest. 'Tomorrow night' she decided 'I need to do this'. She wasn't sure if she would find it there, but she had to try. 

Repairing the stall was simple, but they had to wake up earlier than usual to have it ready before the Market opened. That left them with almost an hour before clients would start to show up.  
“You know Mal, I think you should start working on something of your own” said her father, while they were preparing their workspace “Your skills have really improved recently; I believe you are ready”  
That was unexpected. Amalia never thought herself much skilled in woodworking, and certainly not enough to be given free hand. Especially by her father. ‘I don’t even know what I would do’.  
“Are you sure?” she hesitated “I don’t really have any ideas. Besides, I don’t want to leave all the work to you”. That was true, even if it wasn’t her biggest concern.  
Andres' hearty laugh filled the room "Don't worry about me, I can handle everything." he looked at her, smiling "You shouldn't think about me: this is something you should do for yourself, to see what you are capable of, and to find out what you love doing." he made a brief pause "That said, there's no need to rush things: think about it, and when you've found an idea, get right to work"  
"I… I will try, Dad" Amalia was still unsure about all this  
"I know you don't think you are ready, but I've seen you work: you are very talented, and you have all the tools you need to create whatever you want".   
She was amazed how easily he could read through her 'Well, he's my father after all. I'm lucky he has not yet found out about the lake' she instantly felt bad for lying to him, but she knew she had to.  
She hugged him: "Thank you, Dad" 'And sorry'.   
"You're welcome"   
That day at the workshop was busy: a lot of people came, and Amalia and her father had their work cut out for them. When the sun finally started to set, she was beaten. But it didn't matter, the exhaustion would not stop her: she sneaked out after dark, and went to the hill.   
Like last time, she carefully slided down the hole into the tunnel, and lit up another candle. She looked around quickly and found the end of the thread: it was still tied there, intact. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding.   
She went on, slower this time, calmer, following the path downward. Knowing where to go made her feel better: there was not a feeling of dread gnawing at her throat, for a start. Still, she was anxious to see that creature again, and maybe this time not scaring her off.  
She reached the fissure and snuffed out the candle.  
The lake was still breathtaking as the first time, the water lazily reflecting the glow of the crystals. She took a moment to take in the view. Then, it dawned upon her: silence. There was silence. In the tunnel, and there. She didn’t hear a single note while coming down. She hurried to the shore: only that ruined harp was there, with no trace of that creature.  
‘That’s not a problem, right? It could come out any moment’ she knew it was a thin hope, but she had to cling on something. She waited, worries growing in her head. Minutes passed, as she slowly realized that she was alone: no one would come that night.

A twinge of doubt gripped her heart as Amalia slowly went home: 'Maybe it didn't come today, but it will surely come back.' even in her thoughts she couldn't sound confident '... Right?'  
She was feeling down: she dragged herself back to her house, and threw herself on the bed. She was tired and melancholy, and just wanted to sleep.   
Unfortunately, the Gods seemed to have other plans. Or maybe it was the fact that every time she tried those eyes, those golden, shining eyes, stared at her, piercing her body and soul. She tried to ignore them, to think about her work, or her father.   
Nothing.  
She had to see them again, even just once more. Or she would lose her mind.  
"Maybe I've already lost it"  
Why was she so obsessed with them? She saw them for just a moment, and yet she could not think of anything else. It made no sense.   
'Yes, I've definitely… lost… it… '   
That was her last though, as she finally succumbed to a dreamless sleep.  
Perhaps the Gods were merciful after all.  
The following days went in a haze: Amalia was unable to grasp the passing of time. Everything was piling up in her mind: one moment, she was working in the workshop and then, in the blink of an eye, she was walking down the city streets, or tossing in her bed trying to fall asleep. The only constant in the disorienting maze was that feeling of uneasiness that nested deep inside her heart.  
Feeling that was festering with her rising insecurities.  
She came back to the lake two times in those days, or at least she thought she did: remembering was difficult. And both times she didn't find a single trace of the creature she so longed to see.   
Each time her doubts grew, and so did the feeling that she could now feel gnawing at her bones.  
Then, it happened.   
Amalia couldn't remember what she was doing, only that she was in her workshop.  
She felt it. She felt her body starting to move on its own, the noises outside at first too loud to bear, and then so distant, barely audible.   
But something was different this time: she didn't have her safe haven to go to; it was too close to that place, she couldn't stand it.  
So she was trapped: trapped there, and in herself.  
She slowly sat down on the floor, hiding behind her workbench as if it would shield from the world.  
She brought her knees to her chest.   
She was shaking.   
The room started to feel smaller and smaller: the walls were closing in on her, slowly but steadily.  
There was nowhere to run this time.   
Amalia closed her eyes, and hoped that it would end soon…

She could hear a soft melody in the distance. It was faint, but somehow warm, and familiar. Her breath slowed, synching with its rhythm. The fear and uncertainty slowly melted away as the sound grew closer, while her surroundings returned into her focus.   
She finally regained her senses: she was in the workshop, lazily illuminated by the light of the afternoon sun; someone had laid a warm blanket on her shoulders, and the melody she heard so distant now filled the air.   
'For how long was I down here?' she asked herself, feeling her limbs so stiff.   
She hesitantly tried to get up: the shop was closed; only her father was there, gently playing his lute.  
He looked at her, his brown eyes filled with worry. Neither of them said anything. Amalia hugged him, and he returned the embrace. She whined as he was putting down the lute. He stopped and gave her a nod.   
He resumed playing, still holding her close. She let herself be cuddled by the melody and the warmth. Tears slowly fell from her eyes, as she silently cried away her worries.   
Only when the sun was setting they separated: Amalia had long stopped crying by that moment, but she couldn't bring herself to part from him yet.   
"Are you feeling better now, Mal?" there was still a note of concern in his voice.   
"Yes Dad" she sighed; the ordeal left her exhausted "Thank you"   
"Do you want to talk about it?"   
"I…" she wasn't sure about what to say: she didn't want to lie to him, but also was afraid of his reaction.   
"It's ok if you don't want to now, I am here for you anytime."  
"I met someone" she started: she had to tell him. At least a little. She owned him that much: "Well, kind of. She…" 'Or it? I'm not so sure anymore' "... She ran away before I could say anything. And… And now I think I wasted my only opportunity".   
Amalia felt lighter, as if in finally admitting that, she had freed herself from a heavy load.   
Andres listened carefully, thinking. Then he smiled. One of his, warm, gentle smiles. He caressed her head: "You haven't. Maybe your first encounter could have gone better, yes, but this doesn't mean you won't see her again"  
She must have looked rather insecure, as he quickly added: "You know, you should go on the hills tomorrow. Bring your harp with you, and play for a while. When you were little, you used to say all the time that playing gave you the best ideas" his smile suddenly became sly "Of course, back then it was just an excuse to avoid helping me clean the workshop, but who knows? It may really help you"   
"Dad!" she exclaimed, trying to look mad but failing to suppress a laugh "that's not true!"   
'Play? I could try, but I don't see how it would hel-' a realization dawned upon her 'Yes! The music! Of course'   
She hugged again her father, a smile finally forming on her face: "But I will try." the she added: "I love you Dad"  
"I love you too, Mal"   
"Can we eat now? I'm starving" 

That night, Amalia made once again her way down to the lake. But this time, she brought something else with her.  
She sat on the shore, and took up her harp. She thought about what to play, while plucking the chords, making sure they were in tune.   
Unable to come up with something, she started playing random notes, letting her hands decide for her. As she went on, she relaxed, and, before she knew, she was lost in her own melody, as her song danced across the lake.   
She poured all of herself in it, all that she felt in those days, as the melody cried and laughed in a bittersweet tone. After a while, the notes started to slow down, as she hushed the notes into whispers, and finally into silence.  
She waited patiently, but her hopes dwindled with every second.   
Then, she heard a sound coming from the water.   
She turned, and felt the now too familiar sensation of her breath taken away.   
Two eyes were looking at her from just above the water. 

Eyes that shone like molten gold.


	3. In which Amalia bridges a gap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amalia managed to finally meet that creature at her, and now two eyes stare at her from just above the water. But can she actually manage to keep her cool around her? And can they work around their communication issue?

Time froze as they looked at each other's eyes.  
Those eyes were the only thing Amalia could think about 'Those shining, beautiful eyes'. There was wariness in them, but beneath that, she could see a glimmer of curiosity shining through. The same emotions she felt in that moment.  
She put down the harp, and stood slowly, never breaking that contact, as if it would end whatever spell kept her here.  
She tentatively reached out for her, holding out her hand. The creature backed away slightly, but did not dove back underwater.  
"Please" Amalia pleaded "I just… wanted to meet you" she was so close to her, she couldn't let this chance go to waste.  
The creature looked like she was uncertain, battling with herself on what to do. Then, her gaze steeled, and she slowly got closer. A webbed hand reached for hers, and Amalia grabbed it: she was cold and slithery, yet her touch was… pleasant. She helped her out of the water and onto the rocks.  
"Wow"  
Beautiful couldn't even begin to describe her.  
She was smaller than Amalia, and thinner, and she moved with a gracefulness she had never seen before. Her skin… no, her scales were brightly colored of a blue and red pattern that enveloped her body, but as they opened like a low neckline just below her chest, she could see another layer of a soft pink that covered her chest and her head, wich was crowned by voluminous fins of the same bright hues, wreathing her delicate features. Above her legs, another set of fins formed what looked like a skirt with an open front.  
Yet, it was her eyes that enraptured her the most. Eyes that up close were even more beautiful and alluring, eyes in which she could now see the gleaming of every shade of gold. She could lose herself in them, and she would be happy.  
The creature curiously watched Amalia staring. She tilted her head, puzzled. That was enough for Amalia to regain her senses, and close her mouth that was still opened in awe.  
The creature seemed to giggle, even if no sound came from her mouth.  
But Amalia was still too struck to notice:  
"S-sorry" she began "I… It's just… just wow… I-I mean, you're wow, no wait-" she blushed as she tried to not stutter too much.  
The creature was smiling innocently at her, looking even more beautiful 'How is this possible…'.  
Amalia took a deep breath, trying to collect herself: "Sorry. I'm Amalia, I heard you playing music down here and I hoped to meet you. What's your name?"  
She waited for the creature to say something, but she was fidgeting, as if she was unsure about what to do.  
For an instant, fear took the upper hand: "Do you understand me?"  
She quickly nodded, and Amalia released her breath: "But you cannot speak, can you?".  
She meekly shook her head, looking almost ashamed.  
'Well, that is going to be a problem' but a problem she could work around.

Maybe not right there.  
Amalia tried to communicate with her in other ways, but with little success: she tried to use gestures, only to be met with puzzled looks; then she tried writing, only to realize that not only she had nothing to write with, but there was no way she could know how to write.  
'Maybe I could teach her…' she thought, looking at her: even with this problem, she seemed so… happy, just being there. Or maybe it was because Amalia was here as well.  
She blushed again at that though, and tried to drive it away, only for it to be replaced by something even worse.  
She suddenly stood, startling her new acquaintance: "It's late! I have to go!" she almost shouted "Umh, sorry" she added quickly, after realizing that "but, I really have to go".  
The creature nodded slowly, sadness almost draining all the light from her eyes. Amalia felt a jolt of pain in her chest.  
"Wait" she said "I can come back" a wave of relief hit her as she saw her beaming up once more.  
"Not right away, of course, but in a few days" she continued 'And I will teach you how to write, I promise'. She took up her harp, climbed back to the fissure, and gave the creature one last look: she smiled at her, making her blush once again, then she jumped in the lake and disappeared underwater.  
She went home feeling lighter, better. A deep sense of happiness had taken root in her, and she hoped that it was just the beginning.  
She was beaming the next morning: she didn't feel this relaxed in a long time.  
"Feeling better?" her father asked, looking up from his breakfast, and went on as she nodded: "So, are you going to follow your old man's advice?"  
"Yes, I think I will" she grinned "And I have a feeling that it will be very helpful". She needed a way to teach her how to write, and maybe playing for a while would actually give her some ideas.  
'But that will have to wait for now' there was a lot of work for them that day, and Amalia could finally get back to what she loved doing, without worries.  
The morning flew by.  
Most of the workload was routine work, but she concentrated on it, giving her best in for every piece of wood she cut or carved. It felt like it was a lifetime ago the last time she enjoyed her work this much.  
Andres noticed that too, given how he would smile proudly at her from time to time.  
She thought about what her father said, about her starting her own project. She glanced at the instruments her father was currently crafting. 'What should I do?' she wondered. Something new would be great, but what was _something new_? She needed more time to think about it: disappointing her father was the last thing she wanted.  
In the afternoon the work was lighter, even when her father went out for a couple of errands and she had to talk to some clients that came in: she wasn't exactly at ease, but it went better than usual. Maybe she could do it, after all.  
Maybe she could… 

The breeze that seemed ever present on the hills was pleasant. Her father had let her go, or rather, forced her out, when most of the workload of the day was done:  
"I can take care of the rest, go there and play!" he said laughing, while she was trying, fruitlessly, to stop him.  
There, Amalia had played her harp lazily for a while, not really putting herself on it: she just wanted to enjoy the tranquility of that place for a little bit.  
She wanted to come up with something, but she was in no rush about it. Yet, some small part of her wished she was. Or, to be more precise, a part of her wanted to rush back to the lake to see her again.  
Ok, maybe this was getting out of hand: she had seen that creature two times , barely, and she didn't know anything about her; she shouldn't think about her _that way_.  
'Even if she is so beautiful, dream-like, _allurin_ -' Amalia immediately stopped that train of thoughts 'Ok, I've relaxed enough, time to get on it seriously' she wanted to keep herself away from them, at least for now.  
She put down her harp, and took up a small flute she brought with her. It was a while since she practiced playing one of these, and this time was as good as any. She concentrated, and brought its head to her lips. The notes were a little coarse, as she wasn't as good as with the harps, but that gave her even more reason to concentrate on the instrument instead of her thoughts.  
The sun had almost set when she returned home: she lost herself in music, and in the end she didn't think of anything else. Amalia didn't mind though: it had been a good day, and taking some time to practice and play was... nice  
Their workplace was already tidied up when she entered.  
'Of course he did' she sighed, but a smile crept on her face. She hurried up the stairs, to find dinner already on the table.  
"Welcome back" called her father "Did you find any ideas?"  
"No, not this time" she answered, hugging him "But I had fun. And I'm sure I'll find one soon".  
They didn't speak much while they ate: they were both tired after work day, and just sat there, enjoying each other's company.  
When she went to her room to get some well deserved sleep, she found something on her bed: paper, and some pieces of black chalk  
"I figured you'd need something for sketching a few ideas for your project" her father's voice came from behind her.  
'Dad, you're a genius' it was a small thing, but she didn't consider this at all. And it may actually work.  
"Thank you Dad, you're the best" Amalia said, turning around, and hugged him  
"Well, it's nothing really, but you're welcome" he replied, holding her tight "Now you better go to sleep, tomorrow is another busy day".  
'Yes, it will be'

It turned out much, much busier than both of them expected. It seemed that every tool and piece of furniture in the city had broken that very day: they worked until sunset, bent on their workbenches, with only a small break at noon.  
Amalia was exhausted, and tired, and wanted to sleep. But when she laid on the bed, her eyes fell to the pieces of chalk.  
'Not tonight, I'm so tired I could even fall asleep on a rock' besides, she wasn't so sure anymore: she was so focused on finding a way to teach her to write, that she didn't realize that she had no clue on how to teach her. She didn't even remember how she herself learned. Amalia closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on something else:  
she saw her again, the creature that invaded so forcefully, and yet so pleasantly, her thoughts. She saw her slender form, her graceful features, and the glint in her eyes when she laughed, even if she made no sound.  
Oh, _those eyes_.  
She would find a way. She had to.  
She groaned and buried her head in her arms after she took back control of her thoughts: how could she be so smitten by someone she had barely talked to?  
For a moment, all the confidence that she had seemed to wane, but when she was woken up by the first rays of the sun, she felt better: that was going to be a good day.  
But… when did she fall asleep?

The cave was cold as usual, but Amalia was starting to like even the dark and narrow tunnels of the underground. Somehow, they started to feel familiar, even. She needed another thread to replace the one she used: the fabric was starting to wear out, and was frayed in some points.  
As she made it to the hidden lake, an idea sprouted in her head: she grabbed a small crystal, and tore it from the ground rather easily.  
“Maybe it could work” she mumbled, going back to the cavern; she backtracked until she was in one of the tunnels, and dropped the crystal to the ground: it still emanated a faint light, enough to show the way. Yes, it would work.  
She returned to the lake, and sat near the shore. She didn’t need to play her harp for long, when she heard something coming out of the water: the creature was smiling, watching her with eyes full of anticipation.  
“Hey, I brought something for you” Amalia said, and found herself smiling back at her while she took out the paper and chalk “You can use this to write”; the creature nodded, and took the sheet of paper like it was some priceless treasure, and Amalia could not help chuckling a bit: she was just too pretty.  
“Well, we can begin right awa- Oh…” Amalia stopped herself: the paper was already drenched, and just from being in contact with her. Of course. Why didn’t she think about that? ‘By the Gods, she lives underwater, of course this was going to happen’. The creature was still looking at the paper, saddened ‘Oh no’:  
“Don’t worry, it’s ok, we’ll find another way. Uhm…” she looked around: nothing but crystals, water and… rocks? Maybe the solution was closer than she thought. The rocks near the shore were indeed wide enough to be used. Amalia took the chalk and drew a circle on one of them: “Yes!” she said out loud, but quickly regretted it “Oh, uhm, sorry” she added, afraid of having scared her. But the creature looked amazed at the figure Amalia had drawn. She felt her heartbeat rise, and blushed deeply: ‘She will be the death of me’ it was useless to deny it, especially while being right in front of her. Amalia just hoped she would remember how to breathe.  
“Ok, as I was saying, we can start right away”.

It took a little for her to get the hang of it, also because Amalia couldn't stay very long when she came. ‘Maybe I’m not the best teacher around’ she thought about that a couple of times but it couldn’t put even a dent in her high spirits: she was having fun with her. A lot of it, actually.  
She was overjoyed after she began writing with ease, so much that she jumped on Amalia and hugged her, causing her to almost lose balance and fall with her in the water. Not that she would have minded.  
She was almost saddened that they’re little lessons were about to end, but seeing her so happy did wonders to her heart. And now she could finally talk with… ‘In the Name of the Gods, how can I be so stupid?’ she was so preoccupied to be a good teacher to her, that she had forgotten _why_ this all started.  
“Now that you can write” Amalia said, trying to mask the embarrassed look on her face “let’s start again. I’m Amalia, what’s your name?”  
She smiled took the chalk and wrote something on the stone:  
_My name is Len_  
“Len” the name fitted her well. It felt... good. She liked it, liked to say it. “It’s a very good name”.  
Len beamed at her, a _Thank you_ written beside.


	4. In which Amalia builds an instrument

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amalia has finally met Len, and they have now found a way to communicate. As the bond between them grows thighter, Amalia makes an important decision.

How much time had passed? A month? Two? Or even more? Maybe less. How long ago did she, for the first time, stumble down that hole, into the dark tunnels below? Tunnels where she would find the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She couldn't tell, not while she was looking at her: she couldn't think of anything in those moments. It felt like a dream, all her worries and her problems dissolving, and only them remaining. She, and Len.  
And right now, the only thing she could do was take in every moment spent with her.  
They spent most of the time talking: after all, there was so much about each other that they didn't know, and there was so little time they could spend together, even though their last nocturnal meetings were starting to get _dangerously_ long for her.  
Other times, they would simply sit together, as Amalia played one of her instruments, and let the music cradle them as they enjoyed the other's presence.  
This was one of those times. Amalia had brought her flute: she had improved lately, and wanted to show Len.  
As she finished playing, her eyes went instinctively to her: Len was smiling softly, looking almost dreamily at her, resting her head on her hands. Amalia blushed: every time Len looked at her like that, she could feel a thousand butterflies in her stomach. She was well aware of her feelings towards her 'But does she feel the same?'.  
Amalia yawned, as a sudden tiredness hit her: "I guess it's getting late. I should go" she said standing up, but stopped herself as Len grabbed her hand "Y-yes, Len?" she stammered, flustered by the sudden contact.  
Len quickly wrote something:  
_Please, come back soon? It gets lonely here without you._  
Amalia felt her heart drop. She grabbed Len's hand with hers, and held it tightly: "Of course I will come back soon! I will not leave you here alone for long, I swear!" she didn't even realize that words were pouring out of her mouth, but as she saw the bright smile Len was giving her, she fell silent, and smiled back.

_"Why?_ " Amalia mumbled, trying to bury her face in her bed "Why did I say that?" she felt she could die from the embarrassment. She couldn't think straight when she was near Len, and only after she left she realized that it went a bit… _overboard._  
Maybe Len didn't think anything about her eagerness, dismissing it as a human habit.  
The thought didn't make her feel better: Amalia was aware of her feelings for the mermaid, but she didn't know how she felt.  
Was her love reciprocated?  
If she thought about the way Len was looking at her, even that same night, she could swear it was. But what if she was misunderstanding? What if Len was only fascinated by the fact that she was the first person the mermaid met?  
Doubts still hold their ground in her mind. And she couldn't even think about asking her directly: she wouldn't know what to do if she received a negative response.  
'What do I do?' Amalia set her gaze on the ceiling, as if she stared hard enough, the answer would fall down to her. But it didn't. She needed to sleep: it was too late, and she was too tired to find a solution at that moment. Amalia closed her eyes, and hoped that sleep would come soon. 

She knew it was probably a bad idea, even if work had been light: she went to see Len just the day before, and this was cutting her sleep a little too much, but her words…  
_It gets lonely here…_  
Amalia couldn’t bear to leave her alone right after that. ‘I’ll just stay a little, and be back soon’ she promised herself.  
She went down into the tunnel and lit up her usual candle before venturing ahead. She knew the way already, having passed through it many times, but the faint glow of the crystal was a welcomed sight. As she followed them to the entrance of the lake, a familiar sound echoed from below: ‘Len is trying to play that old harp again…’  
Amalia stopped for a moment, grinning as an idea formed in her mind: ‘She's going to love it’.  
As she made her way to the shore, she saw her sitting on the rocks, concentrating on her music. “Hey Len” Amalia said, making the mermaid jump a little: a worried look turned towards her, but swiftly turned into a beaming smile once she recognized her. She quickly wrote down something:  
_I was not expecting you so soon._  
“Well, I…” Amalia trailed off, trying to find the right words “... I mean, I just wanted to… see you”  
She thought Len’s smile couldn’t become warmer, yet Amalia felt heat rising to her cheeks as she looked at her. She was so enraptured that she barely paid attention to what Len was writing, until the mermaid softly touched her wrist, waking her. “S-sorry, I was just, uhm, lost in thought a little” Len tried to hide a chuckle that made no sound.  
_Can you play your harp today? I want to hear it._  
“Yes, of course!” Amalia answered at once, reaching for her instrument. She sat down to play, but stopped as she felt her leaning on her. Her heart pounded fiercely in her chest at that contact ‘What do i do? What do I do?’. She breathed deeply and looked at Len, who was now resting her head on her shoulder. ‘No. Stop. Calm down. Just play’ Amalia started plucking the string of her harp.  
As the music filled the cavern, dancing softly on the calm waters, Amalia relaxed and found herself enjoying the closeness they now shared, even if her heart made no sign of stopping its pounding. She kept playing for a while, just to stay like that a little longer.  
Eventually she stopped, and they fell into a comfortable silence. Amalia was torn: there was something she wished to ask, but she couldn’t bring herself to say something; that meant ending this moment. ‘Just a little more’ she said to herself ‘Just a little’. But curiosity itched, and for Amalia was something difficult to ignore.  
“Len” she finally said “Did you meet any other human before me?” she knew the mermaid wasn't born down there: she had told her about the rivers she travelled before stumbling, not unlike Amalia herself, into the lake.  
Len raised her head and Amalia instantly missed its weight on her. Their eyes locked together, then she shook her head. "No one? In all that time?"  
She reached for the chalk, moving away from her; Amalia resisted the urge to stop her and hold her close.  
_I saw them, humans. Many times. Heard them too._  
Her hand stopped, hesitant, then went on:  
_But I never got close. I was… afraid. Humans are so different, and scary.  
Once, a human was playing something, just like you do._  
She paused, cleaning the stone to make room for other words.  
_It was nice, so I listened. But they saw me, and they screamed, so I swam away as fast as I could._  
Her golden eyes gleamed sadly, and Amalia could not help but hug her. She could feel Len tensing, surprised, but she quickly melted into the embrace.  
_But you are different_  
Len added, when they broke apart, with her eyes fixated on the ground  
'Is she… embarrassed?' Amalia thought:  
_You are not scary. You are nice, and warm and…_  
She paused again, but this time, it looked like she was trying to suppress an embarassed smile, without much success.  
_… I like you._  
Amalia was certain her heart skipped a beat. 'Does she mean… like, really mean? No, I must have misunderstood. But what if…?' her mind was scrambled, but she still managed to reply something: "I-I-I… like you t-too"  
Len beamed, her broad smile almost blinding, and in that moment, Amalia's heart really skipped a beat. 

Just remembering that moment made her blood rush to her cheeks. Amalia never felt this way before, she never longed so deeply for someone. She was so helplessly in love. And what Len said the last time: _I like you_. And she was so flustered as she tried to look away.  
"She's so pretty" Amalia whispered, lost in her daydreaming. She wanted so bad to go back there, throw her arms around her and kiss her. "Wait, what?" she snapped back to reality "Nononono" Amalia shook her head, hiding her face with her hands "What am I doing? Concentrate Amalia" she said to herself, taking a deep breath.  
She looked at the workbench before her: the pieces were already shaped, but she still had to sand it and add the carvings, then affix the chords and, lastly, the finishing touches.  
She had told Len she wouldn't come for a few days because work would be taxing this week. She felt terrible for lying to her, but she wanted to surprise her.  
'I need to focus, there's still so much to be done' and she wanted to finish as fast as she could. Good thing she had the workshop all for herself in the evening.  
Amalia took her tools and started, keeping her mind from wandering too far away. With every passing minute, more of her idea took form in her hands, even though she still had a long way to go.  
"So, a harp?" her father's voice came from the stairs, startling her; Andres came close, holding back a chuckle at her reaction "I knew you would choose it" he paused, a familiar nostalgia in his eyes "You know, it was my first too. I'd made it for the woman I loved". Cecilia, Andres' wife. Amalia didn't know a lot about her, as he didn't talk of her often. She knew she died young, before Andres found her as a baby and took her in. But from what he told her, they loved each other deeply.  
"She entered the shop one time, and our eyes met. It felt like time had frozen, and only the two of us remained. No one said a word, we just _knew_. That was the moment the idea sprang in my mind, and I gave it to her the next time we met."  
Amalia could see the love he felt on his face, even after all this time.  
"What happened to it after she…"  
"Well, it was a shame to leave it to collect dust. So I gave it to the person I care the most about. And you've become very good at playing it" he smiled at her, and Amalia could not stop the tears from swelling under her eyes.  
"You know, whoever took your heart is very lucky: your work show how deeply you love them"  
"Dad!" Amalia almost shouted in surprise "How do yo-"  
"How do you know? I could read it on your face. Besides, there aren't many other reasons for someone to sneak out in the middle of the night that many times" Andres said, winking, and Amalia wanted to bury herself right there.  
"She is just so…" she trailed of, trying to find the right words to describe Len  
"I can tell" he laughed, as she blushed fervently "You can tell me about her later, now you should focus on your gift. And I hope you'll introduce her to me soon"  
"I will Dad" Amalia said hugging him tightly, finally letting tears of happiness fall down "and I love you"  
"I love you too, Mal" 

She held close the gift, wrapped in a linen cloth, as if her life depended on it. She walked carefully, slower than she ever did in these tunnels. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and to rush where her heart lay. But this was too important, she wouldn't risk all her work because of impatience. No, she would see this through.  
'Just one step at the time, Amalia' she kept thinking, as she made her way down, but as she got closer, her mind started to wander: what will Len say? Will she like it? Her foot slipped, and she almost fell to the ground. 'No no no, not now' she reminded herself, taking a deep breath before continuing.  
As the tunnel shrank around her, she hoped that she didn't make the harp too large for it, but fortunately she managed to pass through.  
Excitement and anxiety fought inside her, as she finally saw familiar waters which reflect the light of countless crystals.  
Amalia gently put the present down and took her own harp, but as her finger reached the chords, she stopped.  
That was it. All her work, and just a moment between her and what her heart desired. She took one last deep, long breath, and let her hand dance.  
She didn't wait long: Len almost jumped out of the water soon after she started playing.  
"Hey Len" Amalia smiled, as soon as she saw the mermaid "I've brought something for you tonight". Len gave her a puzzled look, as Amalia handed her the wrapped cloth. Len opened it, and she was left mouth agape. The mermaid looked like she was about to burst into tears, even if none were present in her eyes. But she smiled and threw her arms around Amalia's neck.  
"Do you like it? Now you can play too, and…" Amalia said, returning the hug "Maybe, you know, I could teach you…"  
Len broke the embrace to write something:  
_Thank you thank you thank you thank you I love it_  
Then, she added something, looking at her starry-eyed:  
_Can… Can we play? Just a little?_  
"Yes, of course we can." Amalia replied.  
They sat down next to each other, and started playing: Len's hands were hesitant, but Amalia let her take her time, following her with her own notes, weaving new harmonies with each other.  
Their eyes met, and while their hands kept playing, the music faded, just like the rest of the world. Only they remained, as time itself seemed to freeze for a moment.  
Slowly, they stopped.  
"Len, there is something I want to s-" a delicate finger hushed her, as the mermaid gave her the sweetest smile she had ever seen:  
_Not here_ -she wrote- _Come, swim with me_  
And with that, she jumped back into the water, beckoning her to follow.  
For the first time in her life, Amalia didn't hesitate. She threw away her shirt, and dived underwater with her.  
She had seen Len on the shore, but nothing could have prepared her for this: her scales, hit by the light of the crystals, gleamed of red and blue hues; her fins, that were already beautiful outside, now curled gracefully, giving her a majestic aura; and her eyes, those orbs of pure gold where she could lose herself so easily, were brighter than any other light around them. There, underwater, Len looked like a goddess.  
And that goddess was looking at her, smiling fondly. Len came closer and embraced her. Now accompanied only by the tender harmony of their own heartbeats, they looked into each other’s eyes: a simple thing, but enough for them to understand.  
And then, as their bodies interwoven, for the first of many times, their lips fused together, in a declaration of love that needed no words. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To whoever actually read this story to the end:  
> Thank you
> 
> I know I sound dramatic but this story has a special place in my heart, so I'm grateful if you actually took the time to read it. I hope that you enjoyed it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> This is the first fic I've written, so any kind of feedback is very appreciated!
> 
> Also, thanks to [Tsukichan96](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsukichan96) for proofreading the story, and for encouraging me to both keep writing and actually posting it here.


End file.
